Information presented to the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee in 1998

The Committee at its twenty-first session urged the Government of Peru to proceed with the preparation of a management plan for Chan Chan. In response to the Committee’s request, the Government of Peru submitted a progress report on the preparation of such plan. It outlines the structure and the general principles of a management plan. The work plan for its preparation consists of three phases: (i) definition of methodology and establishment of working group; (ii) analysis and documentation of the physical, social, legal and administrative conditions of the site; and (iii) formulation of the master plan and detailed work plans.

The Secretariat is pleased to inform the Bureau that the emergency measures that the Government of Peru implemented in late 1997 to protect the site against the impact of the El Nino phenomenon proved to be effective. These measures received a contribution of US$ 50,000 from the Emergency Reserve Fund. To date, no negative impact on the World Heritage site has been reported.

Action Required

The Bureau commends the Government of Peru for its initiative to prepare a management plan for the Chan Chan Archaeological Zone. It requests the government to submit a second report on the progress made in this respect by 15 September 1998 for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its twenty-second session. The Bureau furthermore requests the government to inform the Committee on the impact of the El Nino phenomenon as well as an assessment of the effectiveness of the emergency measures taken.

Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 1998

The Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee approved in 1997 an amount of US$ 20,000 under technical cooperation for the preparation of a management plan for Chan Chan.

The Government of Peru submitted on 16 July 1998 a progress report on the preparation of the management plan for the site. This management plan is being prepared by an interdisciplinary team of experts under the aegis of the National Institute for Culture of the La Libertad region and receives advice from an international expert from Mexico. The report includes the outline and a workplan for the conclusion of the management plan.

The report includes an additional request for an amount of US$ 8,700 in order to be able to conclude the management plan. This request will be examined by the Bureau at its twenty-second extraordinary session.

As to the impact of the El Nino phenomenon, World Heritage Centre staff, during a visit to the site in May 1998, could observe that this has been relatively modest. This was mainly due to the fact that this El Nino was characterised by less rain than expected (major damage in the country, however, were caused by severe flooding) and that the protective measures, undertaken with emergency assistance from the World Heritage Fund, were effective.

As to training, it is recalled that in 1996, the first Pan-American Course on the Conservation and Management of Earthen Architectural and Archaeological Heritage was held in Chan Chan (Government of Peru, ICCROM, CRATerre EAG, Getty Conservation Institute). The second course will be held in 1999 at Chan Chan and will thus directly benefit to the preservation and management planning for the site.

Decisions adopted by the Committee in 1998

Adopted

Draft Decision

22BURV.A.17

Chan Chan Archaeological Zone (Peru)

The Bureau commended the Government of Peru for its initiative to prepare a management plan for the Chan Chan Archaeological Zone. It requested the Government to submit a second report on the progress made in this respect by 15 September 1998 for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its twenty-second session. The Bureau furthermore requested the Government to inform the Committee on the impact of the El Nino phenomenon, as well as an assessment of the effectiveness of the emergency measures taken.

22COMVII.19

SOC: Chan Chan Archaeological Zone (Peru)

The Government of Peru submitted in the course of 1998 periodic progress reports on the preparation of the management plan by an interdisciplinary team of experts.

As to the impact of the El Nino phenomenon, the Secretariat informed that this has been relatively modest and that the protective measures, undertaken with emergency assistance from the World Heritage Fund, were effective.

As to training, a second Pan-American Course on the Conservation and Management of Earthen Architectural and Archaeological Heritage will be held in Chan Chan in 1999 jointly organized by the Government of Peru, ICCROM, CRATerre EAG and the Getty Conservation Institute. This course will directly benefit to the preservation and management planning for the site.

The Committee commended the Government of Peru for its initiative to prepare a management plan for the Chan Chan Archaeological Zone. It requested the Government to submit the management plan as soon as it is finalized together with a report on the arrangements for its implementation.

The Committee decided to retain the Chan Chan Archaeological Zone on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

Training programme for site managers of World Heritage Cities in China - Consolidation of the International Conference for Mayors of Historic Cities in China and the European Union

35,000

The Committee requested the State Party to strengthen the proposed programme by increasing links between ICCROM's ITUC programme and this training exercise, as proposed by ICCROM in their evaluation of the request. Furthermore, the Committee requested the State Party to give sufficient attention to follow-up after the training activity. The Observer of China expressed her Government's appreciation for the grant from the World Heritage Fund for carrying out this activity.

B.2.1.3

Colombia, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Panama

Training

Training in underwater archaeology

The Committee did not approve this request. It took note of the advisory bodies' comments: ICCROM, although supporting the initiative of the States Parties, suggested reformulation of the request to strengthen the component of conservation within the programme. ICOMOS, stating that neither the specialized ICOMOS Underwater Cultural Heritage Committee nor ICOMOS had been consulted on the formulation of this request, stressed that emphasis should be placed on conservation if this activity was to be funded under the World Heritage Fund, as part of the implementation of the World Heritage Convention. The Committee requested the States Parties to reformulate the request, so that the project proposed was directly relevant to the implementation of the World Heritage Convention. Furthermore, it encouraged the State Party to utilize the network of existing international organizations and institutions specializing in underwater heritage conservation, and to consider the possibility of extending the target audience quantitatively and geographically. The Committee took note that the United States of America had announced that, if requested, it could make available the specialized expertise for underwater heritage protection from the relevant USA authorities and the National Park Service. The Committee noted that there was a draft UNESCO Convention for the Protection of Underwater Heritage.

B.2.1.4

Lebanon

Training

Training Programme of Conservators-Restorers in the field of Mural Paintings at the World Heritage sites of Lebanon

60,000

The Committee requested the State Party to conduct the activity at a sub-regional level, including participants from the Syrian Arab Republic and Jordan.

B.2.1.5

Russia

Training

International training workshop for World Heritage cultural site managers from Eastern and Central Europe

40,000

The Committee approved US$ 40,000, subject to the agreement by the State Party to co-operate closely with ICCROM for developing the curriculum and widening the scope of themes to be addressed, to include new modules of conservation management.

Cultural Heritage

Sub-total

Training

184,900

B.2.2.1

Brazil

Technical

Co-operation

Restoration of the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Congonhas

32,574

B.2.2.2

Cuba

TechnicalCo-operation

Rescue and preservation activities of La Estrella Fortress and of Smith (Gramma) Key at the San Pedro de la Roca Castle, Santiago de Cuba

50,000

B.2.2.3

Egypt

Technical Co-operation

Rehabilitation programme for Islamic Cairo

120,000

The Committee approved US$ 120,000, stressing that this approval was an exceptional case. The Committee requested the State Party to submit a full report on the implementation of this activity after one year, for presentation to the 23rd Session of the Committee. Although fully supportive of the initiatives taken by the Egyptian authorities, a few Committee members questioned whether such a large grant should be approved, in view of the limited resources available from the World Heritage Fund. Furthermore, a member of the Committee expressed his concern, as a matter of principle, whether the Committee should commit itself to partially funding such a large project for a three-year period.

However, the Delegate of Morocco, supported by other Committee members, stressed that Islamic Cairo was one of the most endangered World Heritage sites, and taking into consideration previous grants to Egypt for protecting its heritage sites, the Committee should continue to aid this State Party for rehabilitating Islamic Cairo. The Committee decided to approve US$ 120,000 for the first year of the project, underlining that this was an exceptional case in view of the State Party's commitment to fund an equal amount of funds for the first year of activities, and the Committee further requested the State Party to submit a full report on the progress made in the implementation of this project to the 23rd Session of the Committee.

The Observer of Egypt, thanking the Committee for the generous grant for the first year of activities, underlined the tremendous scale of the rehabilitation project for Islamic Cairo. He assured the Committee of his Government's commitment in implementing this hundreds of million dollar project, and stated that the technical assistance grant would represent a minimal portion within the total project budget.

Paragraph No. as presented in WHC-98/CONF.203/14Rev.

Requesting State Party

Type of Assistance

Description

Amount Approved(US$)

Comments/

Observations/

Conditions

B.2.2.4

Ghana

TechnicalCo-operation

Documentation research for Forts and Castles of Ghana

40,000

The Committee approved the request, considering the importance of documenting historical data and iconographic material for enhanced management and conservation of the Forts and Castles of Ghana. However, the Committee approved the grant, subject to the following conditions :

(a)Terms of Reference for the international consultant explicitly including a preliminary mission to Ghana to develop proper policies for compilation, storage, handling and conservation of the collection, and;

(b)The World Heritage Centre ascertaining that there are trained staff members at Ghana Monuments and Museums Board who would be assigned to the Documentation Centre.

B.2.2.5

Peru

TechnicalCo-operation

Emergency measures at the Lines and Geoglyphes of Nasca and Pampas de Jumana

50,000

The Committee noted that the Peruvian authorities were evaluating the state of conservation of the site for possible nomination for inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

B.2.2.6

Philippines

Technical Co-operation

GIS for mapping the Rice Terraces of the Philippines, and for strengthening enhanced management.

50,000

The Committee approved US$ 50,000 for purchasing computer equipment and for partially funding the international expert fees. The Observer of the Philippines expressed his Government's appreciation for the generous grant approved by the Committee for producing new and adequate maps for efficient and adequate management of this site of immensely high quality cultural landscape, which is very vulnerable to a variety of adverse impacts.

B.2.2.7

Syrian Arab Republic

Technical Co-operation

Conservation Projects for the Ancient City of Damascus

30,000

The Committee approved of US$ 30,000 on the condition that the State Party submits further detailed information concerning the budget breakdown.

B.2.2.8

Turkey

Technical Co-operation

Conservation work of the mosaics of Hagia Sophia

50,000

The Observer of Turkey expressed his Government's appreciation for the Committee's approval for the request, although reduced. He confirmed that the restoration works were being carried out with the best of intentions, and that the national authorities had recently increased the national budget for Hagia Sophia restoration work to US$ 700,000.

Cultural Heritage

Subtotal

Technical Co-op.

422,574

Paragraph No. as presented in WHC-98/CONF.203/ 14Rev.

Requesting State Party

Type of Assistance

Description

Amount Approved(US$)

Comments/ Observations/ Conditions

Malta

Emergency Assistance

Urgent conservation work for Hagar Qim, Megalithic Temples

72,448.75

The Committee approved an urgent emergency assistance request submitted by Malta. The Committee took note of the evaluations of ICOMOS and ICCROM for the emergency assistance request. The Committee appreciated the urgency to address the catastrophic nature of the collapse of Hagar Qim, and considered this request could be funded from the emergency reserve. The Committee approved US$ 72,448.75 for (a) conducting a preliminary endoscopic survey; (b) reconstruction of the collapsed portion of Hagar Qim; and (c) installing an adequate monitoring system and conducting studies for preparing a long-term protection plan. The Committee requested the UNESCO Equipment Unit to assist the Maltese authorities in procuring the necessary equipment. The Maltese Delegate expressed his Government's deep appreciation for the immediate action taken by the Committee.

The Committee noted that the AFRICA-2009 Programme is a joint initiative of the World Heritage Centre, ICCROM and CRATerre-EAG, launched in March 1998 in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, with the endorsement of nine Sub-Saharan African States Parties.

ICCROM 2

2.1 PAT 99 - Second Pan-American Course on the Conservation and Management of Earthen Architectural and Archaeological Heritage;

2.2 ITUC Programme for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention - Second International ITUC Workshop

78,470

30,000

Paragraph No. as presented in WHC-98/CONF.203/14Rev.

Description

Amount Requested(US$)

Comments/Observations/

Conditions

ICCROM 3

3.1 Development of global training strategy in South East Asia

3.2 Scientific Development of the World Heritage Convention - Reference manual of methodologies for assessing the state of conservation of World Heritage sites

25,000

8,000

3.1 The Committee approved US$ 25,000, requesting ICCROM to carry out a needs assessment, which would lead to the development of training curricula, which could be used (a) within university architecture and urban planning departments to teach future architects and urban planners the basics of heritage conservation; and (b) by heritage site-managers to introduce and train the inhabitants, owners, community and religious leaders, local administrators and other stakeholders of World Heritage cultural sites, on the scientific basis of heritage conservation and maintenance. The Committee recommended that ICCROM develop this strategy in South-East Asia, in close co-operation with the States Parties concerned, the World Heritage Centre and the UNESCO Regional Advisor for Culture in the Asia-Pacific.

3.2 IUCN welcomed the opportunity of using this activity to enhance co-operation between the three Advisory Bodies. IUCN, reiterated the need to tightly define the target audience for the manual and that it should be aimed to support the capacity of the States Parties, as well as to enhance the process of monitoring to strengthen the management of World Heritage sites. The Committee took note that the Bureau: (1) recommended that while strongly supporting this activity, consideration for translation of the final manual into several languages should be considered from the outset; and (2) for identifying the best procedure in producing such a manual, recommended approval of an initial US$ 8,000 to hold a brainstorming session between the advisory bodies and the World Heritage Centre. Based upon the results of the first step, proposals could be made to the 23rd session of the Bureau for further funding to implement the second and third phases of this activity.

ICCROM

241,470

Cultural Heritage: Requests examined by the Bureau

Paragraph No. as presented in WHC-98/CONF.203/14Rev.

Requesting State Party

Type of Assistance

Description

Amount Approved(US$)

Comments/ Observations/ Conditions

B.1.1.1

Argentina

Training

Support for a Master Programme in Conservation of Heritage

25,000

The Bureau decided that US$ 3,000 for promotional material would not be granted in view of the limited funds available. ICCROM advised that the Committee and Bureau address the issue of recurring requests for training assistance.

ICCROM stressed that this request, as with others coming from post-graduate conservation programmes on a continuing basis, raises questions which may demand policy clarification on the Committee's part. With the number of training requests now far in excess of support funds, and with over 100 such post-graduate programmes in place in the world, it is clear that the Committee's training funds cannot be permanently committed to support operations for only a small number of these programmes. The global training strategy meeting held in Rome on 16-17 November proposes a set of criteria by which to guide future assessments of training requests. ICCROM proposes an early review of the recommendations emerging from this meeting, in order to be able to present these criteria to the Bureau meeting of June 1999. With formal consensus built around such training assistance evaluation criteria, it should be possible to ensure allocation of available funds to highest impact/highest priority programmes.

B.1.1.2

Cuba

Training

Training for preventive conservation

30,000

The Bureau decided to set aside the US$ 30,000 under the training assistance budget, in anticipation of the submission by the Cuban authorities of a reformulated request, until the 23rd Session of the Bureau. The Cuban authorities and ICCROM agreed to cooperate to reformulate the request, following the decision of the Bureau.

Cultural heritage

Subtotal

Training

55,000

Paragraph No. as presented in WHC-98/CONF.203/ 14Rev.

Requesting State Party

Type of Assistance

Description

Amount Approved(US$)

Comments/ Observations/ Conditions

B.1.2.1

Bulgaria

Technical Co-operation

Technical Equipment for Monitoring Boyana Church

20,650

B.1.2.2

Cuba

Technical Co-operation

Conservation and management of Morro-Cabana in Havana

28,777

B.1.2.3

Kenya

Technical Co-operation

Establishment of national cultural sites database and GIS facilities

The Bureau did not approve this request. It requested the State Party to pay its dues to the World Heritage Fund, and thereafter submit a request for preparatory assistance to prepare nominations for submission to the World Heritage Committee. The Bureau requested the Secretariat and the advisory bodies to assist the State Party in preparing a preparatory assistance request, and a Tentative List.

B.1.2.4

Peru

Technical Co-operation

Protection of Chan Chan Archaeological Zone

8,700

The Bureau approved an additional US$ 8,700 for preparing a master plan for Chan Chan Archaeological Zone site, in addition to the US$ 20,000 approved in 1997.

B.1.2.5

Turkey

Technical Co-operation

"House of Fatih Inhabitants" within the Historic Centre of Istanbul

30,000

After the Bureau approved this request, the Observer of Turkey thanked the Bureau for making funds available from the World Heritage Fund for this project. Thanking the Secretariat for its excellent work in developing this project, the Observer of Turkey underlined that this grant would have a multiplier effect ("seed money"), to stimulate general interest in conservation, as prioritized by the Committee in paragraph 109 of the Operation Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention. Finally, the Observer of Turkey requested that Annex A to the Working Document WHC-98/CONF.203/14Rev, be updated and attached to the report of the twenty-second session of the World Heritage Committee, including the statement made by Professor F. Francioni, the former Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee, concerning this request. (See Annex IX)

Cultural heritage

Subtotal

“The Committee commends the Government of Peru for its initiative to prepare a management plan for the Chan Chan Archaeological Zone. It requests the Government to submit the management plan as soon as it is finalised together with a report on the arrangements for its implementation.

The Committee decides to retain the Chan Chan Archaeological Zone on the List of World Heritage in Danger.”

Documents examined by the Committee in 1998

Exports

* :
The threats indicated are listed in alphabetical order; their order does not constitute a classification according to the importance of their impact on the property.
Furthermore, they are presented irrespective of the type of threat faced by the property, i.e. with specific and proven imminent danger (“ascertained danger”) or with threats which could have deleterious effects on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (“potential danger”).